Forgotten Heroes

I didn't know what to expect out of Forgotten Heroes. Some of the press, not to mention other reviews here, lead you to believe it's a documentary or a flag-waving patriotic tribute to vets. But it's really a gritty little action pic, the kind that Audie Murphy used to play to perfection, the kind that made drive-ins prosper. I could practically taste foil-wrapped hot dogs while I was watching it. Good points: beautiful 35mm widescreen film stock—there IS no substitute. There's a solid performance from William Smith as the Russian general, the only name in the cast. The plot is decent and feels authentic. The climax generates genuine tension. Drawbacks: it's a small crew of stereotyped ensemble players (you got your Hell's Kitchen, you got your Hispanic, you got your born-again, you got your cowboy) and a couple of the performances are spotty to the point that I cheered when one of the good guys got iced. But if you want to have an old-fashioned night of drive-in fare, complete with blood and guts and Russkis, in a little corner of jungle where the plot doesn't center on G.I.s and dope, this is the action flick for you.